Best Management Practices, Estimated Erosion, Residual Woody Debris, and Ground Cover Characteristics Following Biomass and Conventional Clearcut Harvests in Virginia’s Mountains

Abstract

Abstract Water quality best management practices (BMPs) developed for conventional forest harvests may be adequate for biomass harvests, yet quantitative data is lacking. This study compared estimated erosion, operational feature areas, BMP implementation rates, ground cover characteristics, and downed woody debris quantities following biomass and conventional harvests in the mountains of Virginia. Haul roads on biomass harvests had significantly higher estimated erosion rates (P = 0.064) and masses (P = 0.045) than conventional harvests, but conventional harvests had higher erosion contributions from skid trails (P = 0.089) and averaged more estimated erosion mass overall, despite being significantly smaller in size (P = 0.054). There was significantly less area in heavy slash (P = 0.076) and lower estimated mass of residual downed woody debris (P = 0.001) on biomass sites than conventional sites (10.98 and 27.95 tons/ac, respectively). Site-wide BMP implementation scores (P = 0.041), streamside management zones (SMZs) (P = 0.024), and skidding (P = 0.063) were significantly higher on biomass sites than conventional sites. BMP implementation scores were significant predictors of estimated erosion rates (P < 0.001, R2 = 59%), indicating that adequate levels of existing water quality BMPs are effective for erosion control on both conventional and biomass harvests.